One Day
by Angela.Rayleon
Summary: What if the Dixon's knew the Greene's before the ZA took place? What if Daryl met Beth when he was just a teen? What if the Dixon's are the reason Hershel decided to quit drinking? What if all these what-ifs were put into one Zombie Apocalypse story? What if that story was this one? How would these what-ifs change the outcome & story line of The Walking Dead? BETTER SUMMARY INSIDE!
1. Chapter 1:Flashback

"**One Day"**

Summary: What if the Dixon's knew the Greene's before the ZA took place? What if Daryl met Beth when he was 16 and she was 5 years old? What if the Dixon's are the reason Hershel decided to quit drinking? What if all these what-ifs were put into one Zombie Apocalypse story? What if that story was this one? How would these what-ifs change the outcome and story line of The Walking Dead? This is "One Day". Better summary inside.

The events of "one day" start in season 2 of TWD, when the Atlanta group (Rick, Lori, Carl, Andrea, Shane, Dale, T-Dog, Glen, Carol, Sophia, and of course Daryl) meets up with Hershel's family (Hershel, Maggie, Patricia, Otis, Jimmy, and of course Beth) on his farm in Senoia, Georgia. "One Day" still takes place in a ZA, and will still follow the events of TWD. Some deaths may not happen, some still will, some will die differently, and some people I will kill off that have not yet been killed off in the show. Anything is possible…

Here are 6 things you should know before you read this fanfiction (Imagine reading this with a Mary like tone, Welcome to Terminus):

-I do not own anything that has to do with The Walking Dead Comics, or T.V. show

-This fanfiction will be and is Rated T (mature content eventually, might rate it M, but I will separate those scenes from the chapter and label them correctly) meaning if you shouldn't be reading it DO. NOT. READ IT!

_-_ Sean, Maggie, and Beth are all the biological children of Josephine and Hershel Greene. (Annette will come later in the story)

-Beth is older in this story then she is in the comics, and Daryl is the age I feel he looks in Season 1. So if you don't like it then GO AWAY! Beth -18 Daryl is 29

-If you do not believe that age gap relationships are not plausible. Then GO AWAY!

-Enjoy, Favorite, and Review. Because sadly it is not easy creating a story for people to read, it takes a lot of time and effort. And if you do not review, well then what's the point in posting. I.e. **NO LOVE = NO POSTS**!

* * *

Enjoy!

_- It was hot as hell on the early Georgia afternoon with only a couple cars driving along HWY 85. A young man could be seen walking the dirt path next to the road, his clothing ripped in sections and dirtied from the heat and dust that polluted the air, hair slicked back from sweat and his lips slightly cracked with blood from his constant biting. In his hand was a small yellowed business card that he kept checking every couple of miles, although it was slightly difficult due to his swollen and purple left eye. A few times the young man would stop to kick up some dirt and turn around only to walk a couple steps , curse and turn back to continue onto his destination._

_He hated Senoia, hated his life there in his father's small shack hidden away in the woods. He hated that at least once a week he was forced to go search every bar and pub for his Pa who went missing after a hefty drinking binge, hated that he couldn't just abandon him. The boy had tried to run away before, when he was 9 years old, almost made it for two weeks by only surviving on camp fires and hunting berries. Two long weeks only to come home with poison ivy up his ass and a long beating from his Pa who didn't even know he was missing. Only reason he got a beating was because all the alcohol went missing... dumb ass old man was too drunk to realize he was the one to drink it all. Or maybe he wasn't, maybe he just wanted something to beat on and his boy was the perfect target. Yeah that ladder was most likely the reason, but here and now the dirty blonde haired boy was 16 and still searching for his Pa, hadn't even tried running away since. Not that he hadn't thought about it, he did almost every day; he just couldn't if only for Merle._

_His older brother promised he would come back for him, and Merle never broke a promise. Yeah it took him a while, but he always came around to them…although this promise was going on its 10 birthday. But he would come for him, he knew he would._

_The boy was so distracted by his inner thoughts that he didn't even realize there was a metal sign in front of him, not until his shoulder smacked right into one of its steal poles. Looking up his eyes were momentarily blinded by the suns rays shining off the metal frame, blinking back the black spots in his vision he held up his palm to shield his one good eye, and read the large black letters of "Chestlehurst Road". He looked down at the business card one more time before continuing on for a couple miles where he stopped at a dirt road that curved off towards the right of the freeway. A small white mailbox stood at the beginning of the road. The family name was painted in green as it stood amongst the cracked and dried yellow paint of what looked like daisies._

_Sighing and looking back at the highway one more time he continued on down the road walking past large sycamore trees, silently cursing his Pa for being his Pa. The road went on for about a mile before exiting into a large meadow of dried overgrown weeds and dead plants, the land overrun from not being properly taken care of. A large willow tree stood at the end of the dirt road, the path circling around the trunk of the tree giving it a wide girth. The boy still didn't see a house or any sign of life on the land, he had passed a few small buildings as he walked the remainder of the dirt road and saw a rather large barn set a ways away passed some empty stables._

_He stopped as he reached the front of the large willow tree, noticing a rather broken and run down swing lying on the ground under one of its branches. Walking passed it and around the remainder of the tree trunk he finally saw the beginning of a white porch. He realized that the house was blocked by the view of the willow tree, and anyone coming up the path would have to follow the road in order to actually see the house. Smart._

_The house definitely matched the rest of the land, white and two stories although overrun with dried vines and cracked paint, there were even a few shutters that lay broken on the ground or hung from their hinges._

_He walked up the steps to the front of the house and knocked on the wooden door, when no one answered he knocked again. He hadn't scene anyone on the property and it looked like no one was home other then an old blue truck that sat at the side of the house. He was about to leave and figure out a different way of finding his Pa when the door slowly opened with a creak, but he didn't see anyone there, not until he looked down and saw a tiny little girl staring up at him with giant big blue eyes._

_"He- ."_

_"Bethany go back into the other room!" An older man came from a door off to the left side of the hallway. He looked to be in his late 40's and hung over with blood shot eyes, the boy would recognize that look anywhere. The man didn't even look at the little girl as she ran back down the hallway passed a set of stairs and made a right through an open doorway into what appeared to be a living room. "What do ya want boy?"_

_"I was wonderin' if ya knew where my Pa was. Will Dixon?" The boy lowered his head as he looked at the man in front of him, worried that at any moment he would overstep his bounds and get a beating like some of his Pa's other friends gave him. "I got yer address from a card in his wallet…yer Hershel Greene right?"_

_"I am, how should I know where he is? When's the last time ya saw him?" The man was stern and his voice was fairly harsh as he spoke to the young man in front of him, his fingers slowly kneading into the bridge of his nose._

_"I saw him a few days ago, said he was gonna go off ter Flanagan's, never showed back. Wallet was left at the house though, and I've checked all the bars and pubs."_

_"Damn it! Took em to my still the other day, sorry drunk probably never left. I'll take ya to em and bring ya both back to ya house, yer lucky I needed a drink anyways" Hershel grabbed his coat and wallet off the front rack before turning back to the boy and pointing for them to head out, but before he could even move to turn around they were interrupted by a tiny voice from the hallway._

_"Daddy, Sea- and Maggie says ya ain't supposed to leave me awone!" the little girl had tears in her eyes as she stood behind her father and looked up at his rather large and rigid back, silently pleading not to be left alone. "Pwease, daddy! Ya can't leave me awone!"_

_The man's face was rigid as he heard his youngest daughter plead with him not to leave her; he turned to the boy in front of him and looked him up and down before squeezing passed him and walking out the door. "Stay here while I look for ya Pa, she won't be no hassle, and there's some ice in the freezer for your eye." Hershel walked down the steps and around the corner to his blue truck before quickly driving off down the road. Dirt coloring the sky brown from his sudden departure._

_The young girl stared at the older boy as he stood in the middle of the doorway just looking down at her with his mouth slightly open, shocked that at one moment he was out hunting down his Pa and the next he was forced to partake on babysitting duty._

_"Uhhh"_

_"Sea- an' Maggie says I aint supposed to talk ta strangers…"_

_"Is that so…" He didn't know what to do as he looked at the small blonde child in front of him; she looked like she was around 5 or 6 years old. Her hair was down around her face slightly messy and she was wearing a small pink outfit adorned with a small pink tutu. Could you get any more girlie?!_

_"My names Beth, what's yers?"_

_"Why ya need ta know?" He was still in shock that the older man had left a total stranger with his daughter, although he wasn't that much of a stranger. The man was one of his Pa's drinking buddies. Either way it really didn't seem like the older man cared._

_"Cuz silly, if I know ya name we aint strangers anymore." She looked kind of stubborn as she spoke of her revelation to him. Her tiny palms fisted on her hips as she smirked up at the older boy in front of her._

_"Daryl Dixon" He finally replied._

_"Well Dawill, ya comin in or what?" He just watched for a moment as the tiny little girl turned around and walked back into the living room. Was he really being shown up by a little munchkin? Yeah he was._

_Daryl shook his head a few times before walking into the house and closing the door behind him; he looked around the home for a few moments to see if anything was unusual. He was always careful. Not noticing anything too out of the ordinary except for a couple picture frames turned over so you couldn't see the images inside, he slowly walked forward and around the corner where he saw the little girl named Beth sitting in the middle of the room cross legged at a small coffee table. She was reading a book that was lying open on a few scattered pieces of paper with crayons tossed half-heartedly around it; he could hear her soft voice humming out a small tune while her small finger followed along the words she was reading._

_"Ya know ya can sit down if ya want." She chuckled into the room her eyes still glued to her book._

_He didn't like being told what to do, nor did he like being made a fool of, especially by a little girl. Either way he wasn't just gonna stand there and watch her like some creep, so he crossed the room and sat down on one of the chairs and slowly took in the room. It was too clean and country, white walls with crochet and flower pictures adorned the walls. The room smelled of dust and baby powder, to him it was very unpleasant. The girl's soft voice startled him out of taking the room in; she was singing a soft tune now while her mind was absorbed into her reading._

_"Where yer Ma at?" He didn't really want to talk to the little girl, but he was uncomfortable just sitting there listening to her sing. What else was he supposed to do?_

_She met his grey eyes with her blue ones "Maggie says heaven, but I aint to sure…what about yers?"_

_Daryl silently cursed himself for accidently bringing up a touchy subject, but how was he supposed to know that her mamma was dead? Deciding that the best solution was tit for tat and letting the little girl know a little about his past he answered. "Dead too, killed in a fire"_

_"Oh, sowy about your Mamma… I heard Daddy and Sea- fighten one time…Daddy said I killed my mamma, but Maggie said Daddy was full of a really mea- word. She says I aint bad an sometimes ac-accidents' happen, but im nothen but good." The little girl turned her body to look at him as she told him a little bit about her life. "Have you ever been bad?"_

_Daryl just shrugged his shoulders, he didn't really know how to digest the little girls words, she didn't look like she was abused like he was, but sometimes words could do more damage then blows….or in her case the lack of words._

_"I don't think yer bad." She got up off the ground and grabbed her book before walking over to him to sit on the seat beside him. "Did someone think ya was being bad? An that's why your face is like that?"_

_Daryl just shrugged his shoulders again, he was getting a little uncomfortable with all the girls questions, but he knew they were innocent enough? He would never snap at her, she was just a child._

_"Sowy." She turned back to her book and started reading again, sensing his reluctance to answer her questions._

_"Wacha readin?" He didn't know why he kept asking her questions but the girl seemed sad after their initial topic of conversation, and he really didn't feel like having an upset child near him._

_"Bridge to Terabithia" That got a smile of out her "Maggie would read it ta me at nighttime, she gave it ta me for my birthday, an Sea- got me a music book. Do ya like ta sing?"_

_Daryl just shook his head at Beth, his brows quirked with amusement. 'Him sing?', that was a hilarious thought._

_"Well whadda ya do then silly?" He was still trying to put a read on the tiny creature next to him. Why was she so curious about him, shrugging it off as boredom he answered her truthfully. "I draw."_

_Beth bounced in her seat at his sudden admission, making him wish he never mentioned his secret, one he'd never told anyone. He squinted at her, his eyes pulling into a dangerous glare he learned from his father, thinking the tiny thing was making fun of him, until she started clapping her hands._

_His glare didn't even faze her "oooh, you're just like Jesse from my book. He drew too!"_

_Beth started to wave her book in front of his face; while Daryl started backing up worried if he didn't he would get another black eye. He was almost off the couch when Beth stopped and suddenly looked at him shyly. "Dawill, will you draw me one day?" The little girl looked so hopeful with her innocent request "pwease."_

_For some reason he couldn't refuse the little girl, maybe because she reminded him of a younger version of himself. He didn't know and he refused to question it. He'd never see her again and he never cared about lying before, so why not humor the little nugget sitting next to him. "Sure."_

_Her smile increased tenfold and she grabbed his hand. "Promise?"_

_Daryl had never felt sorry for a lie before, not even a white lie but as soon as the word –"promise"- left his lips, he knew he wished he was telling the truth. This little girl made him hate his father even more, he hated men who could just up an ignore and hate on their kids. Their own blood._

_Beth had started reading her book again, her voice softly humming…Daryl didn't understand why now out of all times he decided to open up, but he did. To the little girl sitting next to him._

_"I was bad" Beth looked up at him with a tiny quirked brow, silently questioning him at the same time as urging him to continue. He gestured to his left eye. "When you asked earlier if I was ever bad…"_

_Beth's face scrunched up in young contemplation as she looked from his bruised eye to her right hand which she made into a small fist. Shaking her head she jumped off the couch and walked out of the room, her pink tutu bouncing with each step._

_Daryl was confused and slightly ashamed that he was so vulnerable in front of another person, let alone a child. He was getting more and more agitated at himself as the little girl was away from the room, silently berating himself with the words stupid, disgusting, pathetic, and worthless….only some of the few terms his father used to describe him._

_Screw being a babysitter, who the hell was he to give a shit about this little messed up girl, he was about to get up and leave when she came sauntering back into the room carrying a silver object. Her head was tilted down looking at the item in her hands while she walked towards him, it wasn't until she looked up that he noticed the small little tear tracks on her face._

_When she was seated back on the couch next to him she moved to place the object in his hands, he looked down and immediately met the blue eyes of a young women, her hair was brown short and curly. "My mamma…"_

_He looked at the girl next to him "Maggie says I have her eyes…"_

_"She's pretty." He really didn't know what to say, hell he didn't even know why he was seeing this, it was obviously one of the pictures turned over in the hallway._

_"Dawill, have you ever killed anyone?" He kept being surprised by the youngster in front of him, she was a lot smarter than kids her age…not that Daryl had been around a lot of kids…._

_"No" who did she think he was, did he really look that bad…maybe his Pa was right._

_"Then if I ain't bad, neither are you." Her voice was firm as she spoke her words, they held a deeper message. Did this little girl really blame herself for her mamma's death? He didn't think anyone could be as cruel as his Pa, but Hershel was coming in close._

_"Ya ain't bad Dawill Dizon…and one day I'm gonna save you." She turned away from him again to read her book and started to sing her soft lullaby, leaving the discussion closed._

_He was still shocked at the girl's words as he looked at the face of her mother, she didn't deserve this life, he hoped if there were some God that he would take pity on her... His inner thoughts were interrupted by the sound of two closing car doors._

_"Where the hell is Beth!? Why are you alone?!" he heard the distant angry tone of a guy outside the house. Daryl was guessing Hershel was home. "Ya left her home alone? We gave ya one job! Ta just not leave her alone!"_

_"Sea-'s home…" Beth said quietly next to him, she was staring in the direction of the front door._

_Daryl started to stand as he heard the rest of the conversation outside, he could only hear the younger man._

_"You left her with a stranger!"_

_"I don't care who the hell he is!" The voice was reaching closer to the front of the house, and Daryl could faintly hear Hershel talking back to Sean._

_"Mind ya own business Sean, ya ain't her Pa." Hershel sounded gruff, but he wasn't yelling at the other man._

_"Might as well be! Ya haven't even looked at her since Ma! Do you even know how old she is now, how long it's been? No? Let me clue ya in! She's five Hershel, and her biological Pa won't even look at her. He's just off looking to get a buzz and forget the past! I'm more of a Dad to her then you've ever been!"_

_"Sean! Get back here boy!"_

_"Go get drunk Hershel!"_

_The front doors slammed open and shut startling Daryl out of his frozen stance, and before he was even able to move another foot a tall and well built blonde young man strode into the room him and Beth were presiding in._

_"Sean!" Beth screeched as she bolted off the couch straight into her older brother's arms, showing just how young she truly was. She stood between the crouched boys knees as her arms circled around his neck, holding him tightly in her hug._

_"Hey princess, ya alright?" The young man looked to be around 18 years old as he hugged his little sister and checked her over to make sure she was truly okay. "I'm sorry Pa left ya on ya own."_

_"Daddy didn't leave me on ma own Sea-, Dawill was watchen me" She turned in Sean's arms as she looked between her older brother and Daryl "He's ma new friend." She nodded to emphasize her point._

_Sean looked Daryl up and down for a moment before standing and walking towards the younger boy, Daryl didn't miss how Sean's stare lingered for a few beats more then necessary on his left eye, however he was slightly startled when the older boy raised his hand to shake his own. "My name is Sean Greene; I wanna say thank ya for taken care of ma sister."_

_Daryl looked at his raised hand for a moment before he decided the human body part wasn't harmful likes his Pa's; he firmly took it and shook the older boy's hand. He didn't expect the older brother, who just moments before was angry, to actually treat him with some decency, but here the man was willingly shaking his hand and saying thank you. Another thing to add to the list of craziness that ensued today; Daryl could count on one hand the amount of times he had been thanked._

_"Daryl Dixon, an it was no problem. She's a good kid" Sean just nodded at Daryl's words about his little sister. Both boys not really one for a hearty conversation._

_"My Pa is waiten outside for ya, says he's gonna take ya home" Sean nodded his head in the direction of the front door where Hershel was most likely waiting outside. Daryl nodded before walking towards the living room exit, but turned towards a small gasp as Beth came running back into the room, Daryl didn't even realize she had left until she came back in._

_"Wait Dawill, ya almost forgot ta say bye!" Before he new what she was going to do, Beth pounced on his leg and firmly gave it a hug. It only lasted for a second before she drew back and was holding something up to him. "Here."_

_Daryl grabbed the small book she was handing him, and looked down to see the title 'Bridge to Terabithia'._

_"So ya won't forget about what I told ya!" Beth's stance was firm yet again as she watched Daryl take in his new present, only the glassiness of her eyes held her true emotions towards the depth of the gift. "Well, bye than Dawill, see ya another time."_

_Daryl could only utter a small -"bye"- as he watched one of the bossiest people, let alone child, quickly walk out of the room and his life._

_"She's a strange one, I'll tell ya that much. But she's a good kid" Daryl looked up to Sean who still stood in the room "Just like our mamma, heart of gold"_

_Sean looked back at Daryl before nodding once more "I guess I'll see ya around…or maybe not. Either way it was nice to meet ya Daryl Dixon, an again thanks for watchen Beth" and with that Sean exited the room and walked up the flight of stairs in search of his little sister._

_Daryl just stood in the living room for another second looking at the book in his hands; he'd never gotten a present before. Not from anyone. Making a quick decision, he went to the coffee table and took a small crayon and opened the book to the first page where he drew a music note trapped inside a heart and signed it with two D's. When he was finished he left the book right next to the picture of her mother on the coffee table and exited the house._ -

Daryl woke from his dream to the sound of soft crying in the bed at the end of the RV..Seemed like Carol was still awake, and Andrea was cleaning her guns at the table next to him.

He realized now why 'Xena warrior' riding on the horse earlier was familiar. . . She said the family name was Greene…Well shit today would be interesting…. He left the R.V. with the image of bright blue eyes…how long had it been, almost 13 years...Well that was just unlucky. . . Funny how the last time he had been in Senoia was the day he left his Pa's house and he promised himself he would never come back, not even for his Pa's funeral. . . guess the end of the world changed a lot of things. . . .

FIN of Chapter 1.

* * *

Well I hope you guys liked the first chapter! Here is some information if you didn't catch them:

-Sean is the eldest child of the Greene clan. In this chapter he is 19 years old. Maggie is 10.

-Hershel sells moonshine and has a shack just like Daryl's Pa, that is how they met, at a bar and then Hershel brought Will to his still/shack where he left him. . . they do not know each other that well. Hershel and Daryl have not met before.

-Beth's mother Josephine died at child birth, Hershel has been broken since his wife passed away.

-Hershel does love Beth and his family, he would never raise a hand to them…But he does ignore them, and has never been able to look at Beth. She is the only one who has Josephine's eyes.

Author Notes

-My fanfiction "unraveled" is on HIATUS, I have already said in the Author message on that story that I will be posting the full story this summer. That story will NOT interfere with this fanfiction!

-READ and REVIEW . . . because **NO LOVE = NO CHAPTER UPDATE!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Farm

Hey guys, so here is Chapter 2! And it is super LONG! So enjoy! Just a forewarning, this story is starting to get slightly M (no sexual content yet, just implied adult situations and cussing). So if you are not old enough to be reading this. DO NOT READ!.

Here are 5 things you should know before you read this chapter of "One Day" (Imagine reading this with a Mary like tone, Welcome to Terminus):

-I do not own anything that has to do with The Walking Dead Comics, or T.V. show

-I changed part of the ending of chapter 1, Daryl did not go to his Pa's funeral! and that will be brought up later on down this story.

-Beth is older in this story then she is in the comics, and Daryl is the age I feel he looks in Season 1. So if you don't like it then GO AWAY! Beth in this chapter is -18 Daryl is 29

-If you do not believe that age gap relationships are not plausible. Then GO AWAY!

-Thank you to everyone who has favorite, followed and reviewed this STORY! I AM IN SHOCK! almost 20 reviews for one chapter! I am so excited to work on this story, normally I will be updating a lot sooner then I am today. My only excuse was my sister was in town for 2 weeks and I needed to spend time with her. If I have college finals or exams that will also factor into my updating. BUT I will always update at least once every 2 weeks if not sooner depending on **LOVE and reviews**!. My next chapter should be up on Saturday, depending on **reviews**.

_To all my reviewers for chapter 1! Thank you and this shout out is for you guys! I was so happy to see all of your reviews! If you asked a question, check your PM because I have replied there to save spoilers from other fans of the fanfiction. BUT THANK YOU: lithriel23(check PM), 5t4c3y, electrickpanda, Thepinkcoder, Slytherin-Princess10 (everyone check out her fic! Love it!), ChucktheReader, kelizabeth13, Belladcmum, cari, scifigirl22, Dari (your comment made me very happy with all my hard work I have put into this story), luvinggleeforever, Guest 1, Guest2, Ysaffia, Dixon Lover77, kristen12386, Aireabella (love your fanfiction! Anyone looking for a great fic! Go to her thread! Some of my fav), YeojaChingXX. Thank you to everyone again! Your reviews and love is very much appreciated!_

-Enjoy, Favorite, and Review. Because sadly it is not easy creating a story for people to read, it takes a lot of time and effort. And if you do not review, well then what's the point in posting. I.e.**NO LOVE = NO POSTS**!

* * *

He was using her and he knew it, but he honestly didn't care, she was gaining from his presence just as much as he was from hers. Daryl kept loading the trunk of the car with canned food for the little girl, it had been his idea, to leave a marker for her. Carol of course only thought it was his good intentions for Sophia, which that was part of it but the majority was to stall...stall as long as he could till they needed to leave for the farm.

Hell he didn't even know if the elder and youngest Greene's were alive, the only one he knew for sure was Maggie, and he had never met her. What about Sean? Was he alive? How could he ever forget the Greene's? It was their existence that had initially acted as the catalyst for leaving his father for good...well the Greene's and _her_...An-

"Daryl..." he turned from the now finished ensemble of food and aid to look at the older face of Dale. "I know Carol and you want to stay longer, but we really need to head out. If we don't show up at this 'farm' any time soon the group will start to worry and think something may have happened."

Daryl just nodded at Dale's words before turning around to gather the two women who had stayed behind, they were sitting over by the place Sophia had run off from. He knew they needed to leave, that their stall time had worn out. They had been sitting ducks for too long waiting for a little girl who to be honest most likely wasn't about to show back up here, she was lost in the woods and that would be where Daryl would find her.

"Come on, we gotta head out." Carol stayed where she was, just staring out into the forest beyond the road railings, silently pleading for her little girl to come running out of the woods screaming 'mommy'...but she wasn't coming, and morning light was running low.

"Come on Carol, we'll find her. We have the sign on the car and the first aid for when she comes back here." Leave it to Blondie to get the older woman to follow them back to the R.V. "Just think when we get there, we will be able to create a better strategy plan for searching...right Daryl?"

Daryl nodded to the two women as he signaled for Dale to load up, Dale and Carol would be in the R.V. while Andrea took the silver car Shane had found and Daryl road his bike leading the gang to the farm house where the rest of their group was. He roared his bike to life, the noise starting off a little bit too loud before quieting slightly into a medium volume purr that Daryl was all too familiar with. He motioned with his hand for the group to follow and head out before pulling forward away from the graveyard of cars. The small group assumed Daryl knew how to get to the location because of Xena's directions, he wondered how they were going to react when they found out he had been there before. Sure, he hoped they wouldn't find out, but as they passed the large sign of 'Chestlehurst Road' he knew there was a zero chance of hope for that scenario. Even for something as small as a past staying just that, a past.

Daryl had hoped he would never have to come back to this God forsaken piece of land, let alone Senoia, and yet here he was. Hope was a made up word to make people feel better, and Daryl didn't need to feel better. He didn't need or want hope, or pity.

A couple miles later Daryl was met with the same mailbox that he remembered, only this time it was re-painted. The word Greene and the hand painted daisies weren't cracking off anymore, instead they looked fresh, only a couple years old. Daryl held his right hand out to signal to Andrea that they would be turning onto the dirt road, he took a deep breath before turning his bike onto the wide path…here goes nothing.

It was different, everything had changed and yet stayed the same. Daryl took in the clearing around him, the overgrown weeds he once remembered were gone and the soil was fertile with grass. . . there were even horses in the stalls and cattle out in the pastures. To Daryl it was a complete 180, as if the farm had been in an apocalypse when he was a boy and not here and now. When he first set foot on this ground there was no life and now there was…he was shocked. What had happened? Even the willow tree looked bigger then normal as it blocked the view of the house from the road.

Off to the side of the road Daryl noticed a small group of people working, but they were too far away to tell what they were doing or to make out any faces. Daryl and the rest of his gang had drove around the large tree and parked when the group that had been working noticed them and started to walk over…he thought he saw a wisp of light blonde hair but was distracted when the front door opened. Even the house had changed, it looked newer, clean.

Rick and Lori were the first ones to walk out of the house, followed behind one of the people he had wished to never see again during his whole life, Hershel Greene, who was then followed out by T-Dog and a dirty-blonde haired woman.

He watched as the older man walked down the stairs, he had aged, but the only way Daryl could tell was by the color of his beard, what once was sand colored was now as white as snow. Hershel Greene…he looked good, healthier, and better as he took in the new group that joined his family on his farm. It aggravated Daryl, It wasn't until the older man did a double take on Daryl that he realized why he looked different. His eyes, they weren't blood shot and blurry like they had once been. Hershel's face changed into one of shock and contemplation as he stared at the younger man in front of him, Daryl knew he recognized him and was just trying to calculate if it really was the younger Dixon boy standing in front of him again. They really hadn't parted on the best of terms.

The staring session was interrupted by a younger women who walked up to Hershel and grabbed his hand, her body turned towards the older man.

She was wearing a white sleeveless blouse and grey jeans, but the most prominent thing Daryl noticed was her light blonde hair that was tied up on the back of her head. He couldn't see her, but so far he wondered if this was the little girl he had once met, she had to be around 18 years of age now. . . Her face was blocked as she turned to whisper something into Hershel's ear, he smiled lovingly at her and nodded before patting her their joined hands. It was then that she finally turned her face to look at the rest of the group, one by one she took in the new faces around her, until she stopped at his. She didn't do a double take, no her eyes just landed on his and stayed rooted there. Almost as if they had fallen into a trap, his grey eyes met her widened blue ones. It was her…Beth…only one word came to his mind...'_Shit_'.

So she was alive, and apparently things had changed since she was still holding onto her fathers hand, which was now gripped a little bit tighter. He wondered when that had happened…

Daryl looked away as Lori and Rick started talking to Dale and the rest of the group, filling them in on what had happened. Carl was going to be fine thanks to Hershel and Shane…who was rocking the Farmer John look. The whole problem had started with a stupid hunting accident, a bullet going through a deer…A. Stupid. Fucking. Hunting. Accident. He listened as the group was told about the incident and the hunter's death during the run for medicine with Shane, they would be required to join in with the funeral before setting up camp. Only T-Dog would be allowed to stay inside the house with Carl, both unwell from their accidents.

Daryl really didn't feel like being around the newer additions to their group, but he knew they were guests and he needed to show some form of respect. So he stood there and watched as a man he had once considered to be on the same level as his own father read from the bible as if he read and spoke its words daily. He then watched as every person placed a rock on the tomb, his eyes focusing longer on the young women he had once met. Someone who knew a few of his dark secrets, this family knew of his past, to him they held a power. He needed to get away and soon, he would find that little girl and then he would be gone.

He listened as Shane told the story of Otis's last moments to the elder woman Daryl assumed was the now grieving wife/widow. Daryl could tell the story wasn't the complete truth…Shane was acting slightly deranged, his mannerisms off…he wasn't telling the full story. Daryl didn't know if Shane was dangerous to him, but if one thing Daryl knew to be true was that it didn't hurt to be overly cautious, he would keep an eye of him.

Daryl didn't wait long enough to watch everyone disperse as the makeshift funeral ended. He strode quickly over to his bike before revving the engine and driving off to an old statue. It was in between the area his group would be setting up camp and the old willow tree, far enough away from both groups for his own comfort but close enough to watch them in case of an emergency. It would do. He quickly set up his tent and makeshift walker alarm before heading over to meet up with Rick to discuss the rescue mission.

He was almost to the truck that part of his group was converging around when he saw Hershel and Xena walk up, shit…he turned around ready to just head off on his own when Rick called him over. He was going to ignore the man, but he knew that wouldn't go over well so he slowly turned back around and walked over. The group was discussing the plans for a search party over what looked like a map of Senoia. He didn't need a map though, he group up with these woods around him, but at the moment only a couple people on the farm knew that.

"Hershel, Maggie this is our resident tracker Daryl Dixon." Rick pointed to Daryl as he introduced them too each other for what he thought was the first time.

Maggie didn't even get to finish her 'hello' before Hershel replied. "I believe we have met before." The older man stared at the redneck in front of him as Maggie gaped at both men, her face looking quickly between Daryl and Hershel's while her mouth formed the word 'Dixon' it was when her face lit up with realization that Daryl knew she had heard of him. This time her gaze locked onto Daryl's face…"Dixon" she blurted out…"Daryl Dixon, as in Will Dixon's son?"

Daryl glared between the two Greene's before looking at a confused Rick… "It was a long time ago." was his only explanation. "I'm heading out to the creek to look around." He didn't need this shit from any of them. He walked away from the group as they stared at his retreating form, their faces laced with a mix of confusion and surprise. Only one had a look of sorrow and a little bit of shame. Hershel shook his head to Maggie to signal they would discuss it later before he changed the subject back to the search party.

Daryl's secret was out, and he didn't doubt that his whole past would be shared soon enough. Daryl the abused redneck child, he could just picture them all around a camp fire having a good laugh as they exposed his dark secrets of his past. He needed to leave and soon. He was almost passed the house when he heard Rick calling his name, Daryl turned and stopped a few feet away.

"Wacha want Rick?" His voice was still annoyed and ruff from his previous confrontation.

"You gonna be alright out there on your own?"

"I'm better on my own, don't worry i'll be back before dark." He knew this wasn't why Rick had stopped him, he wanted to know more about earlier. He was digging for information.

Rick just nodded before continuing "about before-"

"Don't matter! Past is past."

"It does if its gonna effect our situation here." So this was what this was about, Rick thought Daryl was gonna fuck up their new sanctuary. Well fuck it all.

"What so ya think ima fuck up all your plans!" Daryl's lid was getting tighter and tighter, all his annoyances these last couple of weeks had been building and he was about ready to explode, he needed to walk away from the situation and fast. "What about mine? Last I checked you're the one who fucks shit up _officer friendly_!"

"yeah I know, I deserved that... but I just wanted to remind ya, you don't owe us anything." Rick was calm as he spoke to the agitated man in front of him.

"you gotta point!?" Daryl was fuming by this point, he was annoyed at Rick for bringing up this conversation, yeah he knew that Rick was trying to look out for the rest of the group and be the best leader that he could be…but right now Daryl just needed to leave. They would be alright once he found the little girl and took off.

"you're plan-"

"well my plans fell threw." and with that Daryl turned around and walked away from the other man. Fuck him, he thought. He wouldn't ruin shit, Rick was the one who went and lost his brother Merle. He wondered what the older brother would say if he was on the farm with him now…probably nothing because they wouldn't be there. Both would have never stepped foot back into this hell hole known as Senoia, Georgia.

He walked past the house and a few yards away into the woods behind the house, leaving to get some peace and quiet while he tracked down the little girl.

…..

Daryl had been tracking for a couple of hours, just letting his mind finally be at some form of peace before he had to head back to the farm. He knew these woods like the back of his hand, and even if he didn't he could easily track himself a place for water and shelter, let alone a little girl.

But no matter what he did he could still remember, remember every blow his father gave him, every word that cut him. The last week of him living with his father was the most vivid… he could remember everything from the conversation with the innocent Beth Greene and the car ride home with her bastard of a father…

…..

_Daryl walked out of the front door of the rundown farm house, leaving behind two people; one had showed him respect, and the other had gotten him to open up and bare some of his darkest secrets. _

_He walked down the porch steps and turned around the corner of the house to where he initially saw the old truck. Hershel was leaning on it, his forehead lowered and supported by his hand that was slowly kneading his brow. Daryl cleared his throat to get the older mans attention. Hershel was startled by the sound for a moment as he looked up at the younger boy in front of him. For a moment Daryl saw a deep pitted sadness in the older mans eyes, but it was suddenly covered up with indifference. Daryl didn't know what to think, was Hershel actually upset by his conversation with his son? Daryl doubted it, men like Hershel Greene didn't care about their children. _

_"What are you staring at boy?" His voice was laced with aggression and anger as he spoke to Daryl "Come on, I gotta drive ya home. Yer Pa is waiting up for ya." and with that he turned and got into his old truck, slamming the door behind him. _

_Great, Daryl knew when he got into the car his momentary sanctuary would be gone…He would have to face his real life again, and so would Beth when her father came back home. There was no hope for either of them. _

_Every new minute that was added to Daryl's day was a moment of new hate for both Hershel Greene and his own father. Daryl could deal with the abuse from his own Pa, but that little girl did nothing wrong. He needed to get back to his house, to get off this farm and far away from other peoples problems. He was about to just walk home when Hershel honked the horn of his car. _

_"I ain't got all day kid!" _

_Daryl walked up to the truck and got in. It would take him about an hour and a half to walk home and only twenty minutes by car. Sure he would have rather had that extra time to himself, but by the looks of things he didn't have an option. _

_The car ride was silent and thick with tension, Hershel's hands were fisted tightly on the wheel as he drove to the Dixon home. Daryl sat as far away from the older man as the car would allow him to, they were about five minutes from his shack of a house when Hershel spoke for the first time. _

_"How did ya get the black eye?" Hershel glanced at Daryl out the side of his eye before focusing back onto the road. It seemed he was sober enough to have a conversation now. _

_"ya already know that answer." He was annoyed already at the older man sitting next to him, but his question had sparked infuriation in Daryl's bones. Daryl needed to get home fast before he said anything that would get him in trouble. _

_"I guessed, but I didn't know-"_

_"yeah, ya did." he knew he was being disrespectful, he knew he needed to shut his mouth and sooner rather then later. He didn't however know if Hershel would hit him like his Pa or his Pa's drinking buddies, but something told him he was about to find out…he couldn't keep his mouth shut. "Even Beth figured out who did it, seems she's familiar with the treatment." _

_He knew he was antagonizing the older man now, egging him into an argument with using that low jab. He had done it to his father before, to piss him off. Hershel deserved a bad day, he deserved to see who he truly was. _

_"I've never laid a hand on my kids boy." Hershel stayed calm through his statement, although his voice wavered with remorse. "I would never."_

_"Ignoring them is the same thing. Ya think you're different from my Pa? Well guess what, ya ain't." Hershel's calm collectiveness angered Daryl, he acted as if he wasn't at fault. As if the older man did no wrong, and his disregard for his daughter was justified. "you're just as bad as him."_

_"what do ya know boy. You don't know my family, what's happened."_

_"I know enough, I know that yer little girl thinks she killed her mamma. That she overheard ya say it. You would never hit yer kids, words hit harder then blows"_

_"I'll never hit my own." Hershel sounded as if he was pleading to the young man sitting next to him in the car, Daryl thought it was pathetic. He wasn't scared of being hit by the older man anymore, instead he wanted him to know. He needed to do this, stand up for someone since he couldn't do it for himself. So instead he did it for Beth. _

_"That's a lie! One day ya will. Just like him. You're just like him." They were at Daryl's house by now, and Daryl quickly jumped out of the car and walked up his front porch. He looked back one more time to see Hershel still in his truck staring at him, Daryl turned back around and walked into the house._

_The first thing he noticed was that the lights were still on and his father, Will, was up and sitting at the couch. A half empty bottle of whiskey in his hands. He wished the damn thing was empty…if it was empty it either meant his father was passed out or too drunk and his punches barely grazed his skin. But no, the fucking thing was still half full. Right when his father looked up at him and glared he knew it would be one of those nights. "Ya son of a BI-"_

_Neither of the Dixon's realized Hershel was still outside in his truck listening to the man Daryl accused himself of becoming yell and slander his son inside the house…_

….

The air echoed with a resounding smack as Daryl punched the tree closest to him. He was tired of remembering, tired of all the pain. That's why he left in the first place, to get away from it all, and yet here he was…back again. As if the world was forcing him to face his past…

He needed to focus, find the girl and leave, just like he kept telling himself over and over again. Maybe he could find Merle, although he knew that was a lost cause.

He passed the creek bed about ten miles back when he was coming around full circle to head back to the farm. He stopped when he noticed the beginning of a clearing off to the right, an abandoned farm house stood in the middle. Grayed from a hard life and over run with weeds. It reminded him of his first house, the one that his Ma burned down. Her with it.

He decided to search the old house to see if there was any sign of Sophia, he noticed a few things turned over in a couple of the rooms, but no walkers…which was a good sign. The backdoor to the kitchen was open and there was an empty can of food that had been freshly eaten, along with a hiding place that could only fit a small child. It had to have been her, he was close. He needed to find her, for his own personal gain and for Carol. She needed her daughter back, and she needed her mother. He was tired of seeing motherless children, he had seen enough of them for one lifetime.

He walked out the back porch to look for her tracks but there was none, meaning she had been there a while ago, but it meant something. It was something to go off of. He was rounding the back of the house when he noticed a white flower sticking up from a bush, normally he wouldn't have stopped for any stupid flower but this one was different…this one reminded him of _her. _He still remembered his visit to the diner, the last day he had lived in Senoia.

_It had almost been a week since he had seen Beth or been on the Green farm, he was sitting in the local diner drinking water and eating the only thing he could afford, a piece of toast, when a plate of fries and a grilled cheese sandwich was placed in front of him. The waitress who had initially served him sat across from him at his table. She had light brown hair and friendly bright green eyes. They reminded him of four leaf clovers. _

_She smiled at him for a second before speaking calmly, like he was a wounded animal. "eat up." _

_"I ain't no charity case" Daryl glared at the older woman sitting in front of him, she looked to be in her early 30's. "and I definitely ain't never needed no pity!" he pushed the full plate of food away from himself, sure he was hungry but he hated people who pitied him. He wasn't a child, and he could take care of himself. _

_"You'll take it and you'll eat it boy!" Daryl's head snapped up from his almost finished toast to stare in shock at the face of the woman before him. _

_Her once kind face was gone and replaced with a fierceness Daryl had never seen. He had been scared of few things in his life so far, but with just one glare from her he knew she took the top of the list. She was one of those women. _

_He pulled the plate of food back to himself before snagging one of the halves of the sandwich and biting into the cheesy core. He had to admit, it was good._

_She smiled brightly at the kid in front of her. "glad ya like it."_

_"its alright…" he answered while shrugging his shoulders, he didn't want the woman to know how much he truly did enjoy it. Like he said he wasn't a charity case. _

_She just quirked a brow at him as she watched him take another bite of the sandwich. Her face depicting its rye amusement at his false charade. _

_"My names Annette."_

_"So?" He was already almost finished with the sandwich and had started in on the plate of fries. _

_"What's yer name kid?"_

_"I ain't a kid…" He looked up from his food for a second to give her a half heated glare before digging back into his food. "It's Daryl."_

_Annette didn't say anything else as she waited for him to finish his food before continuing on with her almost one sided conversation. _

_"So this is how it's gonna go Daryl" she said when he was well and truly finished with his meal…that last statement had gotten his attention. "You're gonna listen to what I have to say, ya don't have to talk, just listen. And in the end it'll get ya a slice of that blueberry pie you been eyeing." Her tone was back to the fierceness it had been before. _

_"Ain't ya supposed to be working?" He didn't really want to stick around to find out what she had to say, but she had that no nonsense expression back on her face. . . besides she did say he didn't have to talk…and it would get him free pie, which was his favorite. He hadn't eaten like this in years, if not ever. _

_"When's the last time you checked the name of this joint?" She smirked at him before continuing on with her conversation. "Its called Annette's Diner."_

_Daryl looked at the menu sitting at the end of the table, sure enough there in bold pink cursive writing was the name Annette. "ya game kid?"_

_"ya won't ask me any questions? I won't have to talk? Just listen?" _

_"Just listen." She added with finality. Daryl just nodded and gestured for her to go on. "Knew ya wanted that pie."_

_She nodded before folding her hands on the table top in front of her, looking around the diner to make sure they had enough privacy for their conversation. _

_"ya see Daryl, i'm not originally from Senoia. I just moved here about six months ago when I bought this joint and the first thing I noticed was this town was very tiny, everyone knew everyone. Within a week I knew the schedules of about everyone who worked in town, and whadda ya know I even knew the schedule of a few local kids. Ya see, about three to four times a week this young man would walk by my café. Never coming in. But every time he would walk by I would notice something different, a bruised eye, a new scar, a limp to his walk…" She held up her hand to stop him from leaving. "and every time I saw him pass by one of my windows I would tell myself 'Annette, the first time that boy walks in here you're gonna tell him your story. And he's gonna listen'." _

_She stared at him for a moment before continuing on "looks like that day is today."_

_Daryl looked away from her, blocking the yellowed skin of his left eye. She wanted to tell him her story…She didn't expect anything from him. _

_"ya see Daryl, when I was a kid, a lil younger then yourself my daddy died…and he was a good Pa, as good as they come. He loved both me an my Ma with a fierceness. When he died it broke my Ma but she got better, and a few years later she ended up remarrying. The new man was nice enough... At first I thought it was my fault, I mean it must have been difficult raising a fourteen year old step daughter? But over the years he changed, he got worse. It started off verbal, just to me and then my Ma. Then it got physical. Ya see he would force my Ma to drink until she passed out while he abused me, and eventually she craved the poison so much she would turn a blind eye. It wasn't until I was seventeen that my step father noticed and took control of the fact that I was a fully developed young woman." _

_Annette wiped a tear that had trailed down her cheek with one of her hands, her eyes staring at her fingers that lay open on the table top. Daryl sat stock still as the woman in front of him opened up and bared her scars to the stranger in front of him. He listened as the woman shared something so personal. _

_"That was also the year I attempted to take away one of life's most precious gifts…my own" Se laid her arms on the table each one's wrists faced up so Daryl could see the long vertical pale scars that adjoined her arms. Each scar about 4 inches long. "It was also the year my Ma had her first sober moment in about 3 years."_

_She pulled out a necklace that was hidden by her uniform, the long silver chain held a small silver cross and a white flower. "She gave me this necklace the day I was in the hospital, it was my grandmothers. The Cherokee Rose. She gave it to me so I could always remember her, and the tears she cried for forgiveness for not being able to protect me. That was the last day I stayed in that town, and the last day I saw my Mamma. She told me to leave, to run away, and too never look back." _

_It was then that Daryl swallowed and spoke up. "Why are you telling me this?"_

_"Because Daryl, maybe I see a little bit of me in you. That's something we both share, the eyes of the broken are the windows to our souls." She smiled kindly at him "Why are you scared Daryl?"_

_"I ain't scared of nothing." He wanted his voice to be firm, to show that he wasn't, but his voice shook with weakness and fragility. He looked at the woman in front of him, the woman who was changing his view on his own life and where he was going. _

_"Don't let fear make you weak, let it feed your bones and make you strong. I don't know you Daryl, but I can see enough. Its time for you to leave. To never look back."_

_Daryl swallowed thickly on the bile coming up his throat. "I thought I was gonna get pie?" he joked weakly to the woman in front of him. His palms sweaty from the nerves that were racing under his skin. _

_"I'll pack you some to go, but ya know what I meant, don't pretend ya don't" She turned to leave the booth before looking back at the kid "and Daryl, its not weakness to except love and help from others. But you need to remember that only you can help yourself before you can except help from others." and with that she patted his hand in a motherly gesture before turning and walking back into the kitchen to pack him a slice of pie. _

_Daryl didn't stick around long enough to get his dessert, he left seconds after Annette walked through the kitchen door. _

….

He stared at the small plant in front of him, remembering the story behind the old legend he had looked up. He decided he would pick it for Carol, to give her some form of comfort while her daughter was out missing. It had been the same day of the diner that Daryl had decided to take Annette's advice and leave, to create his own story. It had also been the last day his father had hit him, and the last day his father had ever laid eyes on his son again.

He left the old farm house and the patch of Cherokee Rose's behind as he went back towards the Greene Farm. Annette's words still in the back of his mind. He wondered what had happened to her, if she was still alive somewhere out there.

He picked up some dinner on the way back to the camp that consisted of a couple squirrels, at least it was something. He was surprised to see the R.V. had been cleaned by Carol, but it just made him even gladder that he had brought back the white flower. He didn't believe in luck, but he also knew that others did, and Carol would be appreciative of the gesture. The flower would be enough to give her some form of hope, hope that her little girl was still alive and him and the rest of the group would find her.

It was after he told her the story of the Cherokee Rose that he left to head back to his own camp site away from the group, he was startled by a soft laugh coming from the front porch of the farmhouse. It was Beth, but she wasn't alone, the boy from earlier was with her and they were walking up the steps of the house hand in hand. It was when the boy pulled Beth into a kiss that Daryl turned and walked away, not seeing the young woman pull away from the boy and walk into the house leaving him outside on the porch alone.

To Daryl it seemed like Beth didn't even remember him, she got her happy life and he didn't blame her. In fact he had wanted that for her when they were both kids. For some reason it hurt though, he had wanted her to remember him. Remember the young boy who had opened up to her and spilled some of his secrets. But she didn't, and to him it was just another reason he wanted to leave sooner rather then later. . .

Chapter 2: Finish!

* * *

Well I hope you guys enjoyed the second chapter and the 2 flashbacks! Here is some information if you didn't catch them in the story:

-Yes Diner Annette is the same Annette that was mentioned in the T.V. show, wonder how Daryl is gonna react when he finds out Hershel married the older woman! And on that wonder how he will react when he finds out...well you know what.! I am looking forward to writing that barn scene!

-This story does closely follow the t.v. show, but pretty soon I will be changing some things up!

-Maggie didn't recognize the name Dixon from Merle's drugs until Hershel said something at the truck.

-Thank you to everyone who stuck around passed the first chapter! and welcome to the newcomers reading this fanfiction!

**Author Notes**

-Make sure you guys check out my other story "Found", it is another Bethyl fanfiction and will consist of 7 chapters. Next chapter will be posted on Saturday for this fanfiction!

-My fanfiction "unraveled" is on HIATUS, I have already said in the Author message on that story that I will be posting the full story this summer. That story will NOT interfere with this fanfiction!

Next Chapter Spoilers! - we will be seeing two new point of views! the Greene sisters! and also a couple flashbacks!

-READ and REVIEW . . . because **NO LOVE = NO CHAPTER UPDATE!**** I want at least 10 reviews before I post the next chapter! NO LOVE = NO CHAPTER UPDATES! SO REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Even if it is one word! :P **


End file.
